Mercedes 722.3 Quickie Stator Repair
What happens is this: You’re assembling the 722.3 transmission and find that spalling has occurred on the bearing surface at the rear of the support (see Figure 1). The pitted area, caused by the spalling, was missed during disassembly and cleanup, and now it’s your problem.
12-Valve Cummins Diesel/618 Transmission
A 1994 Dodge R2500 pickup was brought to a transmission shop. The customer complaint was no overdrive when cold and that as the vehicle got up to operating temperature the overdrive would engage but would go in and out with throttle opening.
GM’s Steady-State Adapts
With a basic understanding of TAPS, the Transmission Adaptive Pressure System, covered in last month’s article, we will now try to tap into the Steady State Adapt System and what its data can tell us. Not all scan tools provide steady-state data, but I’m convinced that this information is a real help in diagnosing problems in the later GM units. Data for the examples I used in these articles was recorded on either my GM Tech2 or my Mastertech. All the units in the examples shown below are 4T65-Es.
Playing TAPS on Pressure Systems
TAPS is one of the latest acronyms to join the list. It stands for transmission adaptive pressure systems, and it is used both for shift adapts, which establish pressure control during the shift, and for steady-state pressure control, the adapting-pressure requirements for a given gear after the shift is completed.
A Case of Mistaken Identity, Part 2: Impossible?
It is important that you identify the problem immediately. Do not road-test the vehicle to check out the forward speeds if you are having a problem with reverse. The reduction band must be anchored to the case by the anchor stud to prevent rotation. If you try to drive the vehicle without the stud in place, the band will rotate, wedging itself between the drum and case. This will prevent the drum from rotating and will burn the clutches that try to apply for a given gear. If the clutches lose their service ability, then the transmission must be removed.
Water, Water Everywhere
Many of us are familiar with the “strawberry milkshake” you see when a transmission cooler ruptures in the radiator and mixes engine coolant and transmission fluid. In recent years we have seen other problems that can be traced back to water intrusion. A massive leak is easy to find. Let’s look at some causes that often are less obvious.
Chrysler 41TE & 42LE Range Sensors
Have you ever been here? It’s late in the day (usually Friday), and you’re just about to button up the 41TE or 42LE job you promised. Everything is going as planned. You go to plug in the range sensor, only to find out that the range-sensor pins are different and the vehicle harness won’t plug in.
AFL and AFL
AFL stands for actuator feed limit and another fourth lost.
Perhaps you’ve already chased this on a 4L80-E or in a somewhat similar fashion on a 4L60-E. Here’s how badly it can go. You take in your buddy’s 4L80-E with converter codes and failsafe operation beginning to appear at normal mileage. Make it worse: It’s a good buddy, so you give him a break on the price. You scan the unit, drive it, do a careful rebuild, check TCC-related areas, put in a good converter, fill it with your preferred red fluid and reset the computer.
Tools That Money Can’t Buy and They Pay You to Use
This article addresses special tools relating to 5R55E and 5R55W/S transmissions. If you have worked on these units, you’ve already discovered how difficult it is to isolate slip codes and TCC problems. These tools are specific to the 5R units, but you can use your design creativity, a cut-off tool and a drill to make test fixtures from other parts as well.
4L30-E: Slips in 2nd or Slips in 3rd
A 1995 BMW 325i equipped with a 4L30-E transmission came into a transmission shop. The customer was referred to the transmission shop by a technician at a general service facility because of a “check transmission” light and the torque-converter-slip code that he found during his inspection.
A4LD/4R44E: Ford 4.0-Liter Crank-Spacer Puzzle
Sometimes gathering all the information about a problem is like fitting together the pieces of a puzzle. Finding out about differences in Ford 4.0-liter converter pilots was like putting a piece of a puzzle in place and seeing the whole picture a bit more clearly.
Subarus Have Their Own Set of Problems
The four-speed automatic Subaru is a first cousin to the RE4RO1A, RE4RO3A and JR403, but the Subaru version of this transmission has not been plagued by the converter-clutch problems that have afflicted other members of its family. The Subaru was the only one to offer an all-wheel-drive option, which has allowed it to have its own set of problems.
